Attachment for field-glasses, &amp;c.



J. T. NESDALL.

ATTACHMENT FOR FIELD GLASSES, 6w.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.26, 1911.

1,092,224, Patented Apr. 7, 1914b JOHN T. NESDALL, OF NEW YORK, N.Y.

ATTACHMENT FOR FIELD-GLASSES, 8w.

noeaesa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

Application filed January 26, 1911. Serial No. 604,842.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. NnsoALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Field-Glasses, &c., of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to attachments for field-glasses, opera-glasses, lorgnettes, and other forms of telescopic glasses.

The instrumentaliti-es which constitute my invention have been devised especially to enable field-glasses and the like to be conveniently used in viewing aeroplanes, balloons, etc., when flying or sailing; though they may, when equipped with my invention, be similarly employed for other purposes.

The invention has for its object, therefore, the provision of a device, preferably in the form of an attachment, for a telescopic glass whereby the user may utilize said glass to observe objects, etc, in the air without having to change his position.

At the present day, when exhibitions of the flying of aeroplanes are occurring, it has been found that an unpleasant strain is imposed upon the muscles of the neck, etc., by prolonged observation of objects at high altitudes, and especially when the object is flying directly (or approximately so) over the heads of observers. To the end that this strain, with more or less consequent serious discomfort, may be reduced to a minimum, I have devised my improved attachment.

This attachment comprises, in one or more aspects of the invention, a mirror or reflector, combined with means, (adjustable or not, as may be preferred) for mounting it (permanently or detachably) upon the instrument, and including, when desired, means for positioning and retaining said mirror or reflector at an angle required to follow the aeroplane, etc., during its travel or movement in its altitudinous positions.

The invention consists, also, in various novel details of construction and arrangement of the parts, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which some of the several possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated, and from which it will be obvious that the same is capable of a wide range of modification without departing from the spirit of the invent1on, Figure l is a view in perspective of a field-glass with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the device illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. A is a longitudinal vertical section of the support and its operating parts. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the mirror-supporting-spindle; and

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of the attaching structure.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 designates, in general, a pair of field-glasses, of ordinary construction; and 2 a plate or carrier thereof, and to which an angulated arm 3 of my reflector-supporting device 4: is attached, permanently or otherwise, as may be required. The arm 3 includes an angled portion 3 adapted to be hooked or otherwise mounted upon the plate 2 of the instrument, and a yoke or lower forked portion 3". At its lower end, the body-portion of the arm 3 is provided, at each member of the fork, with. a boss 8 The two bosses are bored to provide a bearing for the cylindrical portions 5 of a spindle 5. To the central, squared portion 5 of the spindle is suitably secured a reflector-supporting element 6, and to this th mirror or other form of reflector 7 is secured.

Slidably mounted on one end of the spindle 5 is a barrel 8 provided at its inner end with a toothed or serrated portion 9 adapted to engage with the serrated face 3 of the boss 3. This barrel is, for a portion of its length, provided with a chamber 9*, into which the squared end 5 partially eX- tends. The barrel is also provided with a milled end-piece 9*, preferably threaded onto the barrel, as shown. At its opposite end,

6, the spindle 5 carries an end-piece 9 corresponding to the form, etc. of the barrel 9. It is obvious, of course, that, in lieu of the barrel-section 9 I may provide a barrel-see tion similar to the barrel 8. Secured to the spindle is a spiral spring 10 which encircles it for a portion of its length, is housed with in the chamber 9 in the barrel-section 9, and the function of which is to normally hold the barrel 9 in engagement with the toothed boss 3.

Operation: To position the mirror, the observer pulls the barrel outwardly to disengage it from the toothed boss 3. Then he rotates the spindle in its aforementioned bearings, and, by reason of the fact that the mirror is connected (through the element 6) to the spindle, such rotation tilts the mirror relatively to the object-glass 1 Upon releasing hold of the barrel, it will, under the influence of the spring 10, reengage with the toothed boss 8, and these instrumentalities will then hold the mirror at the desired or required angle. It will thus be seen that by these means, the reflector may be positioned at any angle desired and, when so positioned, is held there by the described holding means, which means relieves the observer from having to hold it manually.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated a modified form of attachment-securing means. In this instance, in lieu of the arm or bracket 3, I employ the member 11 comprising a bodyportion12, a pivoted portion 13 therein, and

a Cylindrical element 14 adapted to engage the threaded portion 12 and retain the pivotedportion 13 firmly in engagement with the spindlel which forms a regular part of the glass 1.

' I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to provide opera-glasses and the like with a mirror which is capable of being so adjusted relative to the central line of the instrument that the user may observe reflections of objects behind and around him. To this end, a pair of reflectors are arranged in front of the object-glasses, and means are provided for swinging the two reflectors on a pivot in ahorizontal plane. In this manner, the position of the mirrors is adjusted relatively to the central line of the instrument. My device is to be distinguished from this construction, in that the reflector is tilted relatively to the horizontal plane of the instrument, and the means employed to accomplish the tilting movement of the reflector are adapted to perform their function with great facility and convenience, since this is most necessary in following an aeroplane, for instance, in its rapid travel and gliding through the air. The observer may hold the instrument in a perfectly horizontal plane, and, without changing its position, may easily follow the flyer by merely tilting the reflector relative to that horizontal position of the instrument. In consequence, the observers head is not brought into such a position as to strain the neckmuscles, etc.

While I have herein described my invention in detail, it is to be observed that I do not limit myself to such details except in so far as they may be specified in the claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, its construction, and its manner of operation, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

The combination with a field-glass and the like provided with an object-glass, of a reflector disposed in front of said glass, a positioning spindle to which said reflector is connected, a supporting instrumentality in which said spindle is journaled, means for rotating said spindle in either direction to position said reflector in any of a plurality of angular positions relative to the plane of the object-glass, and coacting means on said spindle-rotating means and supporting instrumentality for holding said reflector in any of its adjusted positions;

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. NESDALL.

A. J. WEIL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, D. C. 

